The cornerstones of existence - the four existential fundamental motivations

Whereas Frankl considered the search for meaning as one’s deepest motivation recent Existential Analysis has made out another three existential (or personal) motivations which precede the motivation for meaning and which move man profoundly and constantly:

1. Man is moved by the fundamental question of existence: I am – but can I be (as a whole person)? Do I have the necessary space, protection and support? A person mainly experiences these when feeling accepted, which, in turn, enables him to embrace in an accepting attitude himself. – Deficit leads to anxiety.
   
2. Man is moved by the fundamental question of life: I am alive – do I like this? Do I experience fulfilment, affection and appreciation of values? Devotion requires a feeling for the value of one’s own life. This fundamental value consists of a deep awareness that it is good to be in existence (“that I am here”). – Lack of it leads to depression.
   
3. Man is moved by the fundamental question of the person: I am myself – but do I feel free to be myself? Do I experience attention, justice, appreciation, esteem, respect, my own worth? – Deficits on this level lead to the histrionic complex of symptoms as well as to the main personality disorders.
   
4. Man is moved by the question of existential meaning: I am here – for what good? What is there to do today to make my life part of a meaningful whole? – What do I live for? –– Deficits lead mainly to addiction and dependency.

The main existential theme is interaction (“dialogue”). Existential Analysis groups interaction around these four existential challenges: world, life, self, meaning and future.